James potter



(No Model.)

J. POTTER.

OARDING MACHINE.

Patented Oct. 2, 1883..

UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

JAMES POTTER, OF LOIVELL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO ABEL T. ATHERTON, OF SAME PLACE.

CARDING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 286,065, dated October 2, 1883.

Application filed June 29, 1883 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES POTTER, of the city of Lowell, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oarding-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is the outgrowth of that which is described in Estes patent, No. 217,598, reissued November 9, 1880, No. 9,457, and has been suggested by difficulties which sometimes are experienced in the practical working of said patented invention. The leaf-extracting troughs or receptacles attached to the concave casing or cover, as explained in said reissued patent, cannot, as has been foiind in practice, be used with entire success and efficiency in working very short staple cotton, for the rea son that as the concave coveris removable and must in practice be taken off and put on frequently, the joint between it and the frame of the machine is not entirely air-tight, but

becomes loose enough to admit air. The consequence is that when the machine is in Opera tion currents of air are set up or set in motion at the ends of the carding-cylinder, and these currents carry with them a large a quantity of flyings into the carding cylinder, which is soon filled up by the same. The flyings which come after the cylinder is fullgather and roll up at the ends of the cylinder and come through between the latter and the doffer, thus producing bad work.

It is the object of my improvement to obviate this difficulty, while at the same time maintaining such an organization of the machine as will permit the cotton to be cleaned of leaf, 850., as before, prior to reaching the top-fiats. To this end I combine with the main or card ing cylinder a knife, which is placed beneath the cylinder, and in such relation to the wires or teeth thereon as to take from the staple on said cylinder the leaf and refuse. This knife I preferably make adjustable, so that it may be set at any required distance from the cardclothing of the cylinder. WVith the knife thus located I combine an air-tight casing, by which air-currents are effectually prevented at the point 01' points where they would otherwise be set up, with the injurious effects hereinbefeed-rolls.

(No model.)

fore indicated; and I also combine therewith a tight boX or receptacle, which I term a dead-air box, which receives the motes, leaf, 8120., removed by the knife from the cotton, said dead-air boX being provided with one or more doors, which can be opened from time to time in order to permit the removal of the refuse from the boX.

The nature of my invention and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which I have represented in side elevation, partly in section, so much of a carding-machine as is required for the purpose of explaining the improvements to those skilled in the art to which the same relate.

In the drawing, A is the frame and casing. 13 is the main or carding cylinder. G are the top-flats. D are the lickers-in. E are the F is the lap-roll. G is the doffer, and H are the calender-rolls. The direction of the rotation of the carding-cylinder is indicated by the arrow.

I have not deemed it necessary to represent either the gearing by which the several moving parts are driven or the clothing of the various rolls, cylinder, &c., for these are within the knowledge of those skilled in the art, and

are not requisite to an understanding of my improvement. Below the horizontal axis of the cylinder, and at apoint between the lickers-in and the top-flats, is the cleaning-knife I, hereinbefore referred to. This knife is placed preferably underneath the cylinder at the point indicated in the drawing, and is sup ported in the frame orcasing of the machine by proper means, consisting in this instance of the cross girt J, to which the knife is secured preferably in an adjustable manner, so that its acting edge can be set to the proper distance from the teeth of the carding-cylinder. The adjustable connection can be provided for in various ways-as, for instance, by holding the knife to its support or girt J by means of bolts passing through slots formed in the knife. The leaf, motes, &c., taken by the a, provided for that purpose between the knife and the adj oining end of the girt K, which latter is virtually a part of the concaire easin g which surrounds the cylinder.

To prevent air-currents being set up in the machine at points beyond the knife, I apply between the top 'girt, L, and the knife-girt J pressed, and the choking up of the interior ofthe carding cylinder, with its attendant inor walls N J K O P, togetherwvith a bottom, I

and also side walls, one of which latter is shown at B. This receptacle is the dead-air box hereinbefore referred to. No air-currents are set up in it, and consequently no flyings collect inside the main cylinder,

' The dead-air box is provided with one or more doors, (indicated at b and 0,) which can be opened whenever it is desired to remove the dirt from the box. These doors close tightly the openings'to which they are applied, and can either be hinged, so asto swing back, or can be held in place by turn-buttons, which, when turned back, will permit the doors to be bodily taken out and removed.

Having now described my improvement and the best way known tome of carrying the same into effect, what I claim as of my own invention is-- 1. The combination of the main or carding cylinder, a tight casing therefor, and the cleaning-knife placed beneath the cylinder to operate in connection therewith, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the main or carding cylinder, the cleaning knife located beneath the cylinder, and the dead-air box for receiving the leaf and other refuse taken by the knife from thestaple'on the carding-cylinder.

3. The combination of the main or carding cylinder, the cleaning-knife located beneath the same, and the air-tight casing M, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

4. The combination,with the main or carding cylinder of a carding-machine, of acleaning-knife beneath the cylinder, a dead-air box for receiving the refuse taken from the staple on the cylinder by the knife, and the tight casing M, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth. I

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this th day of J 11110, 1883.

J AMES POTTER. 

